Improvement in feed-cutters



B. A. WILTON.

I FEED-CUTTER. No.169 ,937. Patented Nov. 16, 1875 WITNE 555 s- INVENTElFt Nv PETERS. PHOTO LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTONv D C.

BENJAMIN A. WILTON, OF WEST NEW BRIGHTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEED-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 169,937, dated November 16, 1875; application filed March 13, 1875.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN A. WILTON, of 'West New Brighton, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay- Gutting Machines; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and'use it, reference being bad to the accompanyin g drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in hay-cutting machines; and it consists in applying to each end of the frame a pair of cutters which are operated and fed at the same time. The operator, by standing astraddle over the center of an equally-balanced platform and throwing his Weight from one side to the other, causes the platform to oscillate, and by this motion the blades are made to open and shut, while with his hands he feeds the cutters, as will be more fully described hereafter.

The accompanying drawings represent my invention.

A represents a frame, and B a platform, placed between the standards 0, which platform projects forward sufficiently to allow a person to stand upon it in front of the frame. The under side of the platform is so formed that it rocks upon its center, While the straps a, pivoted to the front and rear, hold it in place. At a suitable height above the middle of the platform, and at right angles thereto, is the rod 1), secured in the front and rear pieces of the frame, which rod supports a walking-beam, D, the ends of which are guided at the inside of the frame. By means of the connectingrods d, pivoted to the walking-beam, the beam is made to rock with the platform. At eachside of the frame, over the ends of the walk ing-beam, are pivoted two cutting-blades, S,

which overlap each other, when closed, like shears, and are guided at their upper ends by the guide 43. From the outer edge of each blade projects an arm, f, and to it is pivoted a flat connecting-rod, g, the other end of which rod is pivoted to the outer edge of the walking-beam, so that in its descending motion the beam draws the two blades apart, and again closes them .by an upward motion. As the platform and beam oscillate the blades open and close alternately on each side, which blades are supported in position on their inner sides by the ends of an inside frame, E. This frame E, which may be drawn out by the knob h, has inside two inclined planes, 1, which meet at the middle, sloping outward to the blades, where they are narrowed to a point by the inclined sides of the frame. Thus these inclined planes are made triangular, with their apex m at the cutters. Upon these inclines the hay to be cut is placed, and slides down between the blades by its own weight, or by assistance of the operator, who stands astraddle over the center of the platform throwing his weight from one foot upon the other, by which the machine is kept in motion. Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of the platform B, walking-beam D, connecting-rods d, and cutters S, substantially as shown.

2. In a hay-cutting machine, the blades or cutters S, combined with the arms f, connecting-rods g, platform B, walking-beam l), and frame E, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 4th day of March, 1875.

BENJAMIN A. WILTON. [L. 8.]

Witnesses:

SANDERS MGKELVEY, THOMAS KENNY. 

